Thursday
by SallaScaramouche
Summary: The blond curls were a bit longer than they used to be back when they were teenagers, she was a little taller and looked a tiny bit worn out (it was Thursday, after all, and she'd had a long week at work), but she was still just as stunning as all those years ago, if not even more so.


Percy was watching the hair fall down Annabeth's shoulders when she worked on some blueprints she took with her from work. She didn't usually have her hair down, but this time he had opened it for her when he came to the kitchen and hugged her from behind her. She had just smiled tiredly, kissed him longingly and turned back to her blueprints. He had sat down across the table to grade some papers and to be near her while on it.

It didn't take long until he forgot about the papers and just watched her. He'd never get tired of watching her. Even after a little over ten years of being together she still managed to take his breath away by just being herself. He felt a smile creeping it's way to his lips as she pushed some hair out of her face and made a couple of notes on the building she had been drawing for days now. The blond curls were a bit longer than they used to be back when they were teenagers, she was a little taller and looked a tiny bit worn out (it was Thursday, after all, and she'd had a long week at work), but she was still just as stunning as all those years ago, if not even more so.

He saw the ring in her finger and smiled. It was the promise ring he'd given her eight years ago, when she was moving away for her studies, leaving him behind. He could remember the day so clearly, and the three following years when the most they saw each other was during weekends and on their computer screens. But they'd made it through it all, getting their degrees and starting work, moving in together and being happy. Looking back to it now, it was a miracle they were still together, after all the fights and bad connections and distance. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the Fates being nice for once.

"Annabeth", Percy said before he even knew what he was going to say, but when she looked up from the blueprints and he met her eyes, the words came out without thinking, without regret. "Annabeth, will you marry me?"

It wasn't like he hadn't thought about it before, no; it was almost every day that he thought about them growing old together, waking up next to her every morning for the rest of his life, Annabeth having his last name. He hadn't actually planned on asking her yet (soon, yes, but not all of a sudden on a regular Thursday), he didn't have a ring or anything, but the question came so natural he let it be. This was them, they didn't need candles and moonlight and fancy restaurants and diamond ring in a glass of expensive champaing.

The look on her face was unreadable, and Percy got nervous and started babbling. "I know this isn't exactly the ideal proposal, and I don't actually have a ring yet, but I just wanted to ask because I really _really_ love you and I just want to be able to call you my wife and be sure that you know that I'm not going anywhere and _gods_ I love you so much and don't you _ever_ forget that and – "

"Seaweed Brain", she smiled, stood up and came to sit in his lap, kissing his forehead softly and holding her hands on his shoulders. Her hair fell from behind her ear to tickle his cheek. "Of course I will marry you. And I love you too, you know."

She pressed her lips against his and he felt her smile wildly. He gave her a soft and loving, lingering kiss, only slowly realizing that she had actually agreed to marry him, to become his wedded wife, to live alongside him for the rest of her hopefully long and beautiful life. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist to bring her closer and deepened the kiss just a little, not too much so that they wouldn't get distracted – if he did that they'd need the whole night, and he still needed to grade those stupid papers that were due tomorrow. But if he was being perfectly honest to himself and to everyone else, he really couldn't care less about the papers or work in general because the love of this life, this absolutely _stunning _woman, this remarkable creature in his lap had promised to marry him.

Percy pulled back and smiled greatly at Annabeth, taking her hands. "We need to go shopping for a ring as soon as I get my next paycheck", he said and pecked her lips once more while taking off the promise ring from the middle finger of her right hand. "But before that", he slipped the promise ring to her ring finger and kissed her hand, "this will do. It's better than no ring at all."

"That it is", she smiled and rested her forehead against his, and if he didn't know better he'd say there were actual tears in her eyes. "You know, after seeing Jason almost throw up at his wedding I was starting to worry about you never asking."

Percy smiled and pecked her lips once. "And because Piper actually passeed out right before the ceremony I was worried you'd say no. But apparently you're not Piper."

"And you're certainly not Jason." Her thumb traced the line of his lower lip and he saw the tiniest smile play on her lips, her eyes laughing and hair still tickling his cheek and neck. But he didn't care. He loved her, and he loved her hair, and he loved the curls tickling his neck. "Grade those papers. It's almost eleven. We'll celebrate tomorrow after work."

"Okay", he smiled, kissed her once more slowly before letting her stand up and get on the other side of the table to continue with her blueprints. "I'll take you out to eat. To that place you love down the street."

And Annabeth smirked as she started to gather her stuff to call it a night and if it was even possible Percy fell just a little bit more in love with her. "Damn right you will, Jackson."


End file.
